Apparatus for storage and timed taking of medicaments

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for storage and timed taking of medicaments, in particular birth control pills, has a casing (1), in which a disc (12) is bearingly supported for rotation. The disc (12) has receiving openings (17) for the medicaments to be taken subsequently and is provided on its bottom side with a toothed rim (30) into which a tooth (28) of an interlocking means (25) resiliently engages such that the disc (12) can be rotated in one direction only. When rotating the disc (12) for one pitch of the toothed rim (30), a normally open contact (37) is closed which is inserted into the current circuit of a preprogrammed counter at which the desired moment for taking is adjustable. Upon rotation of the disc (12), one receiving opening (17) after the other is disposed above a dispense opening (19) of an intermediate bottom (9) wherefrom the medicament falls into a receiving compartment (20) from which it can be taken by actuating a rocker (21).

The invention relates to an apparatus for storage and timed taking ofmedicaments in form of portioned particles, for example pills, coatedtablets or capsules, in particular birth control pills, comprising astorage means for the medicaments to be taken and an adjustableelectronic signal transmitting means for actuating alarm signals at thedesired moment for taking the medicament, the storage means beingprovided with a plurality of receiving openings for the medicaments tobe taken over a time interval of some days, said receiving openingsbeing disposed in a circle around a rotation center and being covered bya cover member having a dispensing opening, said storage means beingrotatable relative to the cover member into different rotary positionsrelated to the receiving openings, in each of which rotary positions oneof the receiving openings is disposed near the dispensing opening and,when rotating to a new one of these rotary positions, the signaltransmitting means is re-set to a new counting cycle.

For numerous medicaments, in particular for contraception means, it isrequired to take these medicaments in predetermined continuous timeintervals in order to ensure a reliable or optimal effect of themedicament. However, experience shows that, for reasons whatsoever,frequently the medicaments are not taken timely.

Therefore, already an apparatus called "Pill Box Timer" has become knownwhich remembers one at the adjusted moment to take the medicament bymeans of an adjustable electronic signal transmitter in form of buzzer.This moment can freely be chosen and can be programmed at a timer. Afterprogramming the desired moment a starting key must be pressed, whereuponan electronic counter counts downwardly and releases the alarm as soonas it has been counted down to 0. The alarm can be stopped by means of akey. The medicaments are contained in a receiving compartment of theapparatus, which compartment can be closed by a slide cover. Themedicament must now be taken and by again pressing the starting key thetimer starts to count down to the pre-set alarm moment. Such anapparatus is disadvantageous with some respects: At first, each countingprocess of the counter controlling the signal transmitter must bereleased anew by pressing a key, what involves the danger ofmisoperation, inasmuch the apparatus must comprise more than one key forprogramming. Further, there is the possibility that more of themedicament than the prescribed dosis is taken by mistake or that pillsor the like are lost from the receiving compartment by carelesshandling.

Within an apparatus of the initially described kind (GB-A 2,092,991),the storage means is formed by a disc being provided with the receivingopenings for the medicaments, a further disc forming a cover member andbeing provided with the dispensing opening is bearingly supported forfree rotation on the disc. In one of the compartments of the storagemeans a micro-processor is disposed for emitting the electric alarmsignal at the programable taking moment. Re-set of the counter to a newcycle is made by mere rotation of the cover member. This apparatus hasthe disadvantage that the cover member can be rotated too easy andtherefore also unitentionally or unseen and also in the false direction.

The invention has at its object to avoid the disadvantages of thepre-described known apparatus and to improve an apparatus of theinitially described kind so that the medicaments are accommodated in asuitable and protected manner within the apparatus and that erroneoustake and misoperation is avoided. The invention solves this task in thatthe storage means is a rotatable body bearingly supported for rotationaround an axis within a casing embracing the rotatable body at least inthe region of its receiving openings and having the dispensing opening,said rotatable body, however, protruding from this casing with ahandling edge and being arrestable by an interlock means in thedifferent rotary positions, and that an additional rotary position ofthe rotary body is provided in which no receiving opening is disposednear the dispensing opening, that interlocking means being coupled withthe signal transmitting means for re-set to a new counting cycle.

Such an apparatus can very exactly adapted to the prescriptions fortaking the medicaments. Whereas within the at first described knownapparatus two different operation processes are necessary for quittingthe alarm and for taking out the medicament and these two processes havenothing to do with each other so that also medicaments can be taken outif the signal emitter is not in operation and therefore no timed momentfor taking the medicament is given, within the inventive apparatusquitting the alarm and initiating a new counter cycle is simultaneouslymade by simple rotation of the rotary member into the respective nextrotary position until the interlocking means arrests this rotaryposition. Thereby the receiving opening related to this rotary positionis brought into coincidence with the dispense opening of the housing sothat the medicament positioned within this receiving opening can bereleased from the apparatus and cen be taken. Therefore, one cannotforget to activate the next counting cycle and always only one portionor, respectively, the amount of the ratio which was in a predeterminedmanner put into the receiving opening is released, but not more, as longas the rotary member is not stepwisely further rotated, what hardly mayhappen unintentionally. The medicaments put into the receiving openingsare shielded by the housing so that they cannot unintentionally fall outfrom the housing, and in the dispensing position of the rotary memberalways only one single receiving opening is ready for taking out themedicament, in contradiction to the first described known apparatus inwhich all medicaments positioned within the receiving compartment areuncovered after the slide cover has been drawn back. Thereby themedicaments are also better protected against touch, soiling and againstbeing taken out by unauthorized persons, for example children. Aboveall, however, by the additional rotary position of the rotary member itis ensured that also a series of medicaments which have to be taken overa longer period, can be accommodated completely protected without thatthere is the danger of an unintentional lost of a medicament through thedispense opening.

In comparison with the second described known construction there is theadvantage of an improved security against unintentional rotation of therotary body because it is no more completely exposed and freelyrotatable, but--with the exeption of the grip edge protruding from thehousing--is protected by the housing. Simultaneously, a reliable re-setof the signal emitter by its coupling with the locking means isobtained.

Storage means for medicaments in form of a rotary member and positionedwithin a housing are known per se (U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,453). Further, itis known to interrupt a series of openings for positioning ofmedicaments in a storage means by a free place. These known apparatus,however, are merely mechanical, they show no possibility to draw theattention of the user to the fact that now there is the moment fortaking a medicament.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, a receivingcompartment for the medicament is connected to the dispense opening, atthe dispensing side of which compartment a closure member movablebetween a closing position and an open position is provided, inparticular a rocker which can be actuated by hand. Thereby, themedicament cannot fall out of the housing also then if the rotary memberis rotated unintentionally, because for the real take out of themedicament the separate closure member must be actuated.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the interlockingmeans is formed by a tooth which is resiliently pressed against atoothed ring of the rotary member, what admits to rotate the rotarymember in one direction only. Thereby, a mis-operation of the rotarymember by rotating it into the inverse direction is prevented in asimple manner. Further, such a construction offers a simple possibilityfor a coupling between the interlocking means and the signal emitter,namely, if within the spirit of the invention the tooth is carried by aresiliently abutted rocker, which is provided with a normally opencontact inserted into a switching circuit of the signal emitter. Uponpressing down this rocker, the switching circuit is closed whereby theelectric current flowing in this switching circuit can be used for thedesired switching purpose, in particular for quitting the alarm andsetting back the counter.

However, within the spirit of the invention there is also thepossibility to provide the signal emitter with a counter controlled bythe interlocking means for releasing alarm signals at a plurality ofsubsequent moments for taking, what is possible without any problem inan electronic manner by the use of suitable programs. This shows theadvantage that the user must set the desired moment for taking only afew times, if desired only one single time, different moments beingpossible, for example different times at several days. This enables theuser to elastically adapt him to his way of living.

Within a particular suitable embodiment of the invention the housing isprovided with a slide cover covering the upper side of the receivingopenings of the disc. Such a slide cover is known per se from theinitially described apparatus, however, within the invention it has theadvantage that it effectively prevents that the medicaments can fall outfrom the single receiving openings or, respectively, that differentmedicaments can be mixed (if more than one kind of medicaments is putinto the receiving openings). In comparison with a hinged cover there isthe advantage that the slide cover--sufficient friction provided--can beless easy unintentionally opened so that an unintentional exit of themedicaments from the housing is not possible.

Within the spirit of the invention a space-saving construction isobtained if the receiving openings are disposed in at least twoconcentric circles around the center of the disc, several or all circlesbeing provided with an interruption of the series of openings, whichinterruption in its rotation position over the dispense opening coversthis opening completely. The interruption constitutes the input positionof the disc in which after removal of the cover the medicaments can beinserted into the single receiving openings.

Within the spirit of the invention a particular favourable constructionconsists in that between the rotary member and the bottom section of thehousing there is disposed a non-rotatable intermediate bottom beingintersected by the dispense opening. In such a manner it is possible toprovide below the intermediate bottom free spaces in the casing whichaccommodate operation members, for example the rocker, without thatthere is the danger that the medicaments fall into these hollow spaceswhen rotating the rotary body.

Further, it is suitable within the spirit of the invention to providethe casing with a drawer for the accommodation of additionalmedicaments, for example such medicaments which can compensate sideeffects, if any, of the medicaments which are regular to be taken.

A further embodiment of the invention consists in that the rockercarries at least one contact inserted into a current circuit of thesignal emitter. This contact may serve for special purposes, for examplefor releasing a separate alarm signal when the rotary member isoverrotated for at least one step, and the like.

In the drawing the subject matter of the invention is schematicallyshown by way of an exemplative embodiment.

FIG. 1 shows a top view on the apparatus, the cover removed, someelements being shown broken away.

FIG. 2 is a section along the line II--II of FIG. 1 in an enlargedscale.

FIG. 3 is a section along the line III--III of FIG. 1 in an enlargedscale, the drawer being drawn out from the housing.

FIG. 4 shows the single construction elements of the apparatus in adismounted condition, partially in a top view, partially in a side view.

The FIGS. 5 and 6 show pulse diagrams for two abnormal occurences.

The apparatus comprises a housing 1 of hard-PVC consisting of a bottom 2and a slide cover 4 which can be shifted along a profile 3 of the bottom2, as well as of a cover 5 covering a space 6 for accommodation of twocylindrical batteries 7 (suitably at 1.5 volt each). The bottom 2 has anupwardly directed protrusion 8 which abuts an intermediate bottom 9which together with the bottom 2 confines an annular space 10surrounding the protrusion 8. A rotary body 11 is supported for rotationbetween the intermediate bottom 9 and the slide cover 4 an is formed bya disc 12 bearingly supported for rotation around the center of theprotrusion 8 by means of a screw 13 which is screwed into the protrusion8. The screw 13 has an enlarged head 14 which prevents that the disc 12can drop off the housing 1 after having removed the slide cover 4. Thehousing 1 and the slide cover 4 surround the disc 12 nearly completely,only at a longitudinal edge of the housing 1 the disc 12 protrudes withits edge 15 through a gap 16 from the housing 1 so that the disc 12 canbe rotated by hand without that the slide cover 4 must be removed. Inorder to facilitate the rotation, the edge 15 is provided with griprecesses 15', particularly in form of ball-calotte-shaped notches. Thedisc is provided with two rows of receiving openings 17 for themedicaments, each one of these receiving openings 17 being roomy enoughfor the corresponding portion of the medicament. In order to save asmuch space as possible, the receiving openings 17 are disposed on thedisc 12 alternately in two concentric arcs of a circle. The inner circleof the receiving openings 17 is not closed but leaves out one receivingopening, the purpose of this interruption 18 (FIG. 4) being explainedlater on. The intermediate bottom 9 covers the receiving opening 17 tobelow if no medicament must be taken, however, has a dispense opening 19large enough so that the medicaments can fall out from each receivingopening 17 through the dispense opening 19 into a collecting compartment20 as soon as the respective receiving opening 17 is positioned abovethe dispense opening 19 after corresponding rotation of the disc 12.However, when the interruption 18 is disposed above the dispense opening19, this opening is at least substantially covered. The collectingcompartment 20 can be closed on its dispense side by means of a rocker21 which can be tilted around an axis 22 bearingly supported in thebottom 2 and being pressed by a spring 23 into the closing position. Forthe dispense of a medicament from the collecting compartment 20, therocker 21 can be swivelled out of its closing position, if pressure isexerted by hand on the outer end of the rocker 21 against the action ofthe spring 23, this rocker end engages into a hollow space 24 of thebottom 2.

An interlocking means or, respectively, stop means 25 is provided forthe disc 12 that ensures that the disc 12 remains always in a rotaryposition in which either a receiving opening 17 or the interruption 18is positioned above the dispense opening 19. The interlocking means 25has a tooth 28 which is abutted by a spring 27 and intersects a slot 28'of the intermediate bottom 9 and engages a gear rim 30 disposedconcentrically to the axis 26 of the disc 13 on the bottom side 29 ofthe disc 12. By a suitable slope of the tooth 28 and by a suitableembodiment of the teeth 28 of the gear rim 30 it is ensured that thedisc 12 can be rotated in the counter-clock-sense only, that is indirection of the arrow 31 (FIG. 1). The tooth 28 is fixed to a rocker 33which is abutted by the spring 27 and is bearingly supported in thebottom 2 to rock around a horizontal axis 32, a contact plate 35 ofbrass being fixed by means of a rivet 34 to the rocker, which contactplate together with a further contact plate 37 fixed by means of a rivet36 to the bottom 2 forms a normally open contact switched into a circuit38 (FIG. 1) of a signal emitter 39. The signal emitter 39 has a buzzer40 that at pre-programmed moments emits an alarm signal which drawsone's attention to the fact that a medicament must be taken.Pre-programming is done at a keyboard 41, the adjusted values can beread at a display 42. The mini-buzzer 40 and the display 42 are disposedon a chip 43 carrying also a microcomputer 44, a quartz resonator 45with a mini-transformer and a capacitor 46. These members together withan electronic circuit comprised in the chip 43 effect the input andstorage of the desired alarm moment as well as the release of an alarmsignal by means of the buzzer 40 as soon as a counter counting down fromthe adjusted alarm moment, reaches the counting value 0. Suitablecircuits for that purpose are known per se and therefore do not needfurther explanation.

The space 6 for accommodation of the two cylindrical batteries 7 can beclosed on the front side (insertion side of the batteries) by a cover 47comprising inwardly a slot guidance 48 for accommodation of a brassplate 49 serving as a tap of a battery voltage. A further brass contactmember 50 having an isolation 57 formed by soldering notch engages thefront end of the two batteries 7 within the interior of the space 6.

The disc 12 forming a rotary member 11 carries on its bottom side anannular flange 51 (FIG. 2) surrounding the central protrusion 8 of thebottom 2 and serving as a centering for the intermediate bottom 9 thatis disposed on the flange 51 by means of a central opening 52. Thebottom has further an upwardly directed protrusion 53 (FIG. 3,4)surrounding the collecting compartment 20, said protrusion 53constituting a further support for the intermediate bottom 9.

At that longitudinal edge which comprises the insert opening for thebatteries 7, the housing 1 is provided in its bottom 2 with punched slotholes 54 for accommodation of additional medicaments in form of pills.In the pushed-in position of a drawer 55, these slot holes opposecompartments 56 of the drawer. This drawer 55 may also be used foraccommodation of jewels.

The function of the apparatus is as follows:

After removal of the slide cover 4, the disc 12 is rotated in theanti-clockwise sense (arrow 31, FIG. 1) so that the mark "P" (FIG. 4)applied to the disc is disposed above the dispense opening 19 of theintermediate bottom 9. In this position of the disc 12, this opening isclosed by the interruption 18 of the inner circle of the receivingopenings 17 and by the spacing between two adjacent receiving openings17 of the outer circle of these openings. The medicaments can now beenintroduced in the clockwise sense into the corresponding receivingopenings 17 of the disc 12. This is done in a zigzag-manner, starting atthe first receiving opening 17 (at the left hand) in the outer circle ofthese openings, then follows the first receiving opening 17 in the innercircle, then the next one in the outer circle and so on. In theillustrated embodiment 21 receiving openings 17 are provided, inconformity to a three-phase- medicament for contraception (always onepill over a period of three weeks). The said introduction ensures thatthe medicaments are taken in a correct succession or, respectively, theintroduction must be adapted to the desired sequence of the medicamentsto be taken.

After completion of the insertion process, the slide cover 4 is pushedin laterally from the right side (FIG. 1) into the profile 3 of thehousing 1, so that the housing 1 is closed to above. Then no medicamentscan get lost. Then, input of the dates is made by means of the keyboard41, namely the desired dayly alarm time (or, if desired, different alarmtimes for different days). If the electronic is designed also as acalender and as a clock, the input may also comprise the months and theday or, respectively, the hour and minute. The input datas may be readon the display 42. These processes or, if desired, actuating of astarting key of the keyboard 41 start the counting process of theelectronic system, which enters into a waiting loop until the inputalarm moment. As soon as this alarm moment is reached, the first alarmis released by means of the buzzer 40. If the person to which the alarmis directed, reacts at once, this person must only rotate the disc 12 inthe anti-clockwise sense for one tooth of the toothed rim 30 to theright (FIG. 1) in order to be able to take out the medicament, wherebythe first receiving opening 17 filled with a medicament (that of theouter circle) is now disposed exactly above the elongated dispenseopening 19. This position is secured by the tooth 28 that resilientlyengages the corresponding spacewidth of the gear rim 30. The medicamentfalls now out of the said receiving openings 17 through the dispenseopening 19 into the collecting compartment 20 (FIG. 3) of the bottom 2and can therefrom be taken off by pressing the rocker 21. The saidrotation of the disc 12 for one pitch of the gear rim 30 quitssimultaneously the alarm and the circuitry enters a new waiting loop.This is released by the disc 12 that on its rotation presses down thetooth 28 whereby the contact plates 35,37 engage each other and therebyclose a circuit which in the electronic circuitry effects the saidoperations since the current pulse caused by closing the contacts isconsidered by the control logic means of the evaluation means as acounting pulse. Thereby, the sounds of the buzzer 40 are stopped and anew period is set which (provided that no re-programming is made) showsthe same duration as the beforesaid period.

If--by whatever reasons--the alarm emitted by the buzzer 40 is notquitted, the electronic means stops the alarm after 30 seconds and dueto the lack of a counting impulse the circuitry enters a new waitingloop of 60 minutes counted from the alarm release. Then, a new alarmsound takes place by means of the buzzer 40, and again for a period of30 seconds. If also this time the alarm is not quitted, the program isrepeated all 60 minutes until the alarm is quitted.

When the last medicament (after 21 days) is taken off, there are twopossibilities. Either the disc 12 is rotated in the anti-clockwise sensefor a pitch of the gear rim so that the mark "P" is positioned anewabove the dispense opening 19, or this does not happen so that the disc12 remains in the last position reached. In the first case, the alarm isfurther emitted continuously and--provided that the receiving openings17 are filled anew with medicaments--there is no interruption of thealarm release and of taking the medicaments. As a rule, this will be thecase if the medicament must be dayly taken without intervals, forexample medicaments for controlling blood-pressure and the like. In thesecond case the electronic means enter a pause-waiting loop of exactly 7days counted from the last counting pulse, if desired less the periodomitted at the last alarm quitting so that always the next alarm releasehappens at the stored hour-minute-combination. This corresponds exactlyto the cycle of three- or four-phase birth control pills. During thesaid interval of one week no alarm is released. If a new alarm soundsafter this interval, that remembers to the filling of the apparatus andthe disc 12 is again rotated further for a position (mark "P" above thedispense opening 19), what quits the alarm and starts a new21-day-cycle. After filling the receiving opening 17 with themedicaments, one proceeds further as initially descibed.

For medicaments which have to be taken in other cycles, of course thenumber of receiving openings 17 can be greater or smaller than 21.

The rocker 21 can be used for closing a further contact 58 (FIG. 3)inserted into a circuit of the signal emitter 39. For this, the rocker21 carries on its upper side a contact plate 59 cooperating with acounter-contact 60 fixed to the bottom side of the intermediate bottom9. Current is fed to the contact plate 59 by means of the spiral spring23. The feed wires 61 or, respectively, 62 leading to the spiral spring23 or, respectively, to the counter-contact 60 are accommodated in slotsin the protrusion 53 of the bottom 2 of the housing. Therefore, thespiral spring 53 has a double function, namely on the one hand it servesas a current feed and on the other hand it moves the rocker 21 back toits starting position.

A conductor branches off directly from the contact plate 37 associatedto the other rocker 33 (FIG. 3), because only one scan signal leaves themicro computer 44 for both contact functions (counting rocker 33 andejecting rocker 21), that is the micro processor emits two differentstrobe signals and reads both signals by one scan conductor only (onesingle receiver line cooperating with two outgoing lines). Thereby oneconductor and on the board one soldering point are saved.

In the FIGS. 5 and 6, two accidents are shown by way of pulse diagrams,which accidents can be detected and indicated by the described circuitryor, respectively, the related program of the micro processor 44. FIG. 5relates to an accident supposing that the rotary member 11 has beenover-rotated after released alarm moment for a pitch (one receivingopening 17) or more pitches, respectively, receiving openings 17. Signala shows by the rising edge of the pulse the reach of the alarm moment,the signal level rising from 0 to 1 (low to high). The signal brepresents the activation of the buzzer 40 which is activated by therising edge of the signal a and emits a sound pulse sequence in severalintervals. The signal c represents the normal operation (accident-freeoperation): The rotary body 11 is rotated for a step within the timeduration in which the signal a has the value 1 (high). The closedcontact of the signal emitter 39 emits then a spike pulse to the inputof the microprocessor 44 and returns again to its original position.Thereby the signal a is re-set to 0 (low). However, the trailing edge ofsignal c re-sets not only the signal a which reaches 1 (high) only whena new alarm moment is reached, but also starts a gate time geneator(signal d) which remains active for some time and serves for controllingaccident signals what is described more in detail in the following: Suchan accident signal may be indicated by the signal e: It may be supposedthat an erroneous second pulse is received in addition to the signal c.In this case the signal e as well as the signal d have the level 1(high) for a short time, whereby means of an AND-operation(control-layered 1+1=1) the signal f is created which for the remaininglength of the gate duration (signal d on 1) is kept at low (0). Theerroneous second counting pulse of the signal e is inverted thereby.This is done by the rising edge of the interfering impulse (secondcounting impulse in the signal e), at which moment an alarm signal isreleased in the microcomputer 44, for example a permanent sound at thebuzzer 40 and four blinking 9-segments at the display 42 (signal g).This signal indicates an erroneous operation and can only be re-set bysetting the alarm clock anew.

The second accident shown in FIG. 6 supposes that the rotary body 11 wasturned for a pitch (one receiving opening 17) or, respectively, forseveral pitches (receiving opening 17) before the alarm moment wasreached. The signals a and b correspond to those of FIG. 5. By thesignal h the premature pulse is indicated which is released by thepremature rotation of the rotary body 11 and by the contact touch at therockers 21, 33 released thereby, and which activates the signal emitter39. The trailing edge of the interfering impulse (signal h) sets thealarm task to active (high=1), whereby an alarm sound, for example apermanent sound is released at the buzzer 40, or another signalindicating the accident (signal i). This signal i which indicates anerroneous operation, can be quitted by actuating the rocker 21, thepulses created by the rocker 21 by means of the contact 58 are shown insignal j. For this, it is necessary to actuate the rocker 21 and thisforces the user to look into the pill storage, however also a medicamentcan be prematurely taken out, if this is desired. All further pulsesreleased by the rocker 21 do not have any action until thepre-programmed moment (signals a,b). However, the alarm moment is met asin the normal operation, as far as no re-programming is made. The signalk is a difference signal which occurs from the trailing edge of thefirst pulse released by the rocker 21 (signal j) and serves for quittingthe erroneous alarm and remains until the second pulse of the rocker 21(signal j), since the pre-programmed alarm must be quitted by the secondpulse of the rocker 21 (signal j) (without rotation of the rotary body11). At this time, the medicament may still be within the pill storagemeans so that an error is considered, if it is desired to store the pilluntil the prescribed moment. However, as already mentioned-the pill mayalso prematurely be taken out of the pill storage means. By the secondrocker impulse (signal j) also the signal k is re-set.

I claim:
 1. An apparatus for storage and timed taking of a medicament inform of portioned particles, pills, capsules, and the like comprising astorage means for the medicament to be taken and an adjustableelectronic signal transmitting means for releasing of alarm signals atdesired moments for taking the medicament, the storage means beingprovided with a plurality of receiving openings for the medicament to betaken over a time interval of some days, said receiving openings beingdisposed in a circle around a rotation center and being covered by acover member having a dispense opening, said storage means beingrotatable relative to the cover member into different rotary positionsrelated to the receiving openings, in each of which rotary positions oneof the receiving openings is disposed at the dispense opening and, whenrotating to a new one of these rotary positions, the signal transmittingmeans is re-set to a new counting cycle, the improvement comprising thatthe storage means comprises a rotatable body (11) bearingly supportedfor rotation around an axis (26) and a casing (1), said rotatable bodybeing disposed within said casing, said casing embracing the rotatablebody (11) at least in the region of its receiving openings (17) andhaving the dispense opening (19) therein, said rotatable body includinga handling edge (15) protruding from the casing (1) and being arrestableby an interlock means (25) in the different rotary positions, and thatan additional rotary position of the rotatable body (11) is provided inwhich no receiving opening (17) is disposed at the dispense opening(19), the interlocking means (25) being coupled with the signaltransmitting means (39) for reset to a new counting cycle.
 2. Theapparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a receivingcompartment (20) for the medicament connected to the dispense opening(19), said compartment having a dispensing side, said compartmentincluding a closure member on the dispensing side thereof in the form ofa hand actuated rocker movable between a closing position and an openposition.
 3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising atleast one contact (58) related to the rocker (21), which contact isinserted into a current circuit of the signal transmitting means (39).4. In the apparatus as claimed in claim 1, the interlocking means (25)being formed by a tooth (28) which is resiliently pressed against atoothed ring (30) of the rotatable body (11) and allows rotation of therotatable body (11) in one direction only.
 5. In the apparatus asclaimed in claim 4, the tooth (28) being carried by an abutted rocker(33) which is provided with a normally open contact inserted into aswitching circuit (38) of the signal transmitting means.
 6. In theapparatus as claimed in claim 1, the signal transmitting means (39)being provided with a counter controlled by the interlocking means (25)for releasing alarm signals at a plurality of subsequent taking moments.7. In the apparatus as claimed in claim 1, the casing (1) furthercomprising a slide cover (4) covering the upper side of the receivingopenings (17) of the rotatable body (11).
 8. In the apparatus as claimedin claim 1, the receiving openings (17) being disposed in at least twoconcentric circular rows around the center of the rotatable body (11),at least one circular row being provided with an interruption (18) ofthe series of openings, which interruption (18) in its rotary positionof the rotatable body (11) above the dispense opening (19) covers thisdispense opening (19) completely.
 9. The apparatus according to claim 1,further comprising a non-rotatable intermediate bottom (9) between therotatable body (11) and a bottom section of the casing (1), theintermediate bottom (9) being intersected by the dispense opening (19).10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a drawer (55)for accommodation of additional medicaments and adapted to be pushedinto a pushed-in position in the casing (1).
 11. In the apparatus asclaimed in claim 10, said drawer having a plurality of compartments (56)therein, said casing having a plurality of slots (54) therein opposingthe compartments (56) when said drawer is in the pushed-in positionthereof, said casing being closed by a slide cover (4).
 12. Theapparatus as claimed in claim 1, said rotatable body being a disc (12).